A California engineer and gardening enthusiast, Brandon Dawson, won the top prize at the 52nd World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California.
Dawson, from Santa Rosa, California, grew a giant jack-o'-lantern gourd weighing 2,346 pounds (1,064 kilograms), clinching the victory on Monday.
Brandon Dawson, center, celebrates after winning the Safeway 52nd annual World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, Calif.
The contest took place in Northern California, south of San Francisco.
Author's summary: Engineer wins pumpkin contest with 2,346-pound gourd.